Is There Anyway This UK Cover's Franking "Works"?

Hi,

I have this cover sent registered express from the UK to West Germany. The cover left the UK on 30 July 1970, arrived at the destination post office the next day.

The cover has a complete set of decimal large format Machins (we are in the period prior to decimalisation), 4 of the 5 stamps from the 1970 Literary Anniversary issue (we are missing the 1/6 high value) plus the 1/9 high value from different set. All stamps were current for the time and were probably purchased over the counter at the post office. I make total franking as 19/5 (19 shillings and 5 old pence) 7 old pence aways from an even £1. At this time, this was a goodly amount of money to place onto a cover.

The back of the cover shows that the sender was using stationery from the "National Hotel" in Russell Square. Contents is a printed slip, in German, from Westminster Abbey, a tourist guide, along with a hand written note, in German, to the recipient from the sender offering best wishes. No mention of stamps.

At this time the registry fee was 3/- and express was 2/-. I see no way to make any "real" rate work for 19/5.

Would you say that the cover is philatelic with the sender loading up on goodies for the recipient? But, why the short set? Why any of the commemoratives? Why the orphaned high value? The cover makes no sense to me.

I'd appreciate a view.

Best regards,

Larry

Was this near the intro of decimal currency? If it was could be just someone using up old postage which would soon be worthless.

Decimal Day was 15 February 1971, 7 1/2 months after this was sent.

Guess I'm suggesting it does not appear philatelic. Not a very tidy - or meaningful - display.

I suspect the sender went to the post office, asked what stamps were available and bought stamps that fitted neatly on the envelope.

That could explain the choice of the horizontal Royal Astronomical Society stamp rather than the vertical Wordsworth stamp.

To respond to Canadastamp's question: this cover was sent prior to decimalisation.

Prior to D Day (15 February 1971), the PO issued large format Machins in denominations of 10p, 20p and 50p, equivalent to 2/-, 4/- and 10/- which could be readily used with shillings and pence. To help accustom the populace to the new currency. They remained valid after D Day.

In 1970/1971, 2 shillings or 10p was a goodly amount of money and could have bought you a pint of beer in Central London. Today, that pint would set you back £4.50?

The large formats tended to be used on tags and on parcels which are mostly found "on piece", and therefore without a lot of information normally found on a complete cover, hence my interest as to whether this is non-philatelic use.